Travel Guides

Mont Saint-Michel Abbey

One of France's best-known attractions, the Mont Saint-Michel
Abbey, is situated on a rocky island just off the coast of Normandy
and Brittany. It was founded in 708 by the Bishop of Avranches, who
built a chapel here. Construction of the current abbey began in
1023 but was not finished for 400 years. Built with granite, it
encompasses a range of architectural styles, from Norman to Gothic.
The abbey has been a site for pilgrimages for centuries and has
also served as a monastery, a prison and a fortress protecting
against the English during its long history.

There is still a Benedictine monastery within the abbey, which
can be visited on a guided tour. Among the maze of cobbled streets
within the walls of the abbey are a number of other attractions;
the little medieval village still boasts its 15th and 16th-century
houses and there are shops, restaurants and a few good museums
including a maritime museum and a multimedia museum that tells the
story of the island. There are also some amazing views out into the
bay. The abbey is connected to the shore by a causeway, but there
are plans to construct a bridge to it so that the sea will again
flow freely around the island. Visitors could easily spend a whole
day exploring this fascinating place.